Writing Exercise 3: Describe an unfamiliar place you’ve never been to

This is part of my writing exercises workbook, available to subscribers.

In this exercise, we’ll focus on attention to detail and crafting a scene that draws the mind’s eye into your own. Additionally, we want to use language that creates a sense of feeling for the reader. Maybe it’s the proverbial “Dark and scary night,” or maybe the happy feeling for the technicolor world of Oz. Whatever you are seeking to create, you want to practice evoking imagery and feeling for your reader. That is the purpose behind this exercise.

To start, pick a location or unfamiliar place you’ve never been to. This may be a real location you can imagine setting a tale in, or someplace purely from your imagination. Focus on the small details that make the place appealing to you.  Alternatively, randomly select a place and feeling or mood from the list below and describe the location while invoking the feeling or mood to match.

LocationMood or Feeling1. An abandoned house
2. A bustling city street
3. A quiet forest
4. A busy airport terminal
5. A tranquil beach at sunset
6. A crowded subway car during rush hour
7. The top of a mountain on a clear day
8. Inside a cozy coffee shop
9. At the bottom of the ocean
10. In a medieval castle
11. On an alien planet
12. A futuristic technological convention
13. In a quaint country village
14. Inside a maximum-security prison
15. Atop a skyscraper at night
16. Inside an ancient tomb
17. On a space station orbiting Jupiter
18. Within the halls of a grand museum
19. A grandiose waterfall in a rainforest
20. Beneath the surface of a frozen lake 1. Awe-inspiring
2. Peaceful
3. Exciting
4. Melancholic
5. Mysterious
6. Threatening
7. Comforting
8. Dangerous
9. Enchanting
10. Intriguing
11. Surreal
12. Serene
13. Forbidding
14. Inviting
15. Lonely
16. Fascinating
17. Overwhelming
18. Calming
19. Intimidating
20. Refreshing

For example, let’s look at a grand museum and try to invoke a sense of danger in the description:

The halls of the museum were quiet, but the silence seemed to echo with an ominous presence. Shadows danced along the walls, casting eerie patterns on the pristine marble floor. Ancient relics and artifacts loomed large in display cases, their mysterious histories whispering tales of death, betrayal, and intrigue. A faint musty scent hung heavy in the air, mingling with the dust of ages past. As you moved through these hallowed halls, you couldn’t shake off the feeling that someone – or something – was watching your every move, waiting to pounce at any moment.

Remember, these exercises are not supposed to be the opening to the next Great American Novel, they are about practicing the craft of writing and helping breakthrough any blocks you may be feeling.

Good luck, and have fun writing.

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